John - FWIW my Integra 9.8 doesn't have these problems. Nor do I find the GUI clunky though I did not compare it to the Marantz. If the Marantz is dramatically better, then its really slick.
I think the key point Kenny is that if you are going to compare the two feature sets, you need to compare equivalent models so the Integra 9.9 and the Marantz 8003.
This Marantz does use the Anchor Bay chip which is a newer chip then the Reon. Oppo uses the Anchor chip in their 983 which has blown every test straight off the charts. Again if you have a lot of DVD material I would get the Oppo (or their soon to be announced BD/DVD) and leave the processing there.
I would invest the time to understand how Marantz manages the video inputs - what Integra is calling "ISF certified calibration controls per input" which as I noted in my previous post is the key to using the built-in scaler.
The only instance I could envision applying the scaler globally to all sources is if I had an older projector that needed a lot of sharpening or chroma boost to look its best. Hard to imagine applying it to a 1080p display.
IMO more important, I would closely compare the Audyssey implementations - Audyssey is a third party developer that licenses its goodies to manufacturers. It is up to the manufacturer to decide which features to include (which obviously affects the price point and can also be used to differentiate models in a lineup).
Too, some manufacturers allow for software upgrades to the Audyssey function set - others, like the Integra 9.8 do not.
Finally as I am sure you know, the 3808 is no longer in the current product lineup. At the end of the day its that familiar choice between SOTA and budget...
